Vote Smart provides easy access to congressional and state voting records and maintains a collection of key votes grouped by issue. Vote Smart uses the following criteria to select key votes:
Vote Smart provides a summary of the version of the bill text associated with each selected key vote. Our summaries are written by Vote Smart's staff and interns, who adhere to our strict policies and procedures in order to guarantee absolute impartiality and accuracy. They do not necessarily reflect the content of the final version of the bill, but rather the version voted on in that stage. While many procedural votes take place before a full chamber vote, our voting stages reflect the final reading of each chamber vote. Each key vote selection is reviewed by the project's community of advisors, who are political scientists and journalists from all fifty states.
For more information about the legislative process, see here.
Date | State | Bill No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nov. 17, 2011 | National | HR 2112 | Appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (70 - 30) |
Nov. 3, 2011 | National | S 1786 | Long-Term Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011 | Motion Rejected - Senate (47 - 53) |
Nov. 3, 2011 | National | S 1769 | Transportation Infrastructure Appropriations and Tax on Income Over $1 Million | Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 49) |
Oct. 26, 2011 | IL | SB 965 | Authorizing Speed Cameras in Certain Cities | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 24) |
Oct. 25, 2011 | PA | SB 595 | Authorizes the Use of Red Light Cameras | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 14) |
Oct. 11, 2011 | National | S 1660 | American Jobs Act of 2011 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 49) |
Sept. 7, 2011 | CA | AB 1424 | Suspending the Licenses of Delinquent Taxpayers | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
Aug. 30, 2011 | CA | AB 353 | DUI Inspection Checkpoints and Unlicensed Drivers | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
June 27, 2011 | TX | SB 29 | Restricts Certain Types of Touching During Searches by Government Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
June 24, 2011 | NY | A 8496 | Increases The Number Of Taxicabs Serving New York | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 21) |
June 23, 2011 | DE | HB 95 | Motorcycle Helmet Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |
June 21, 2011 | National | S 782 | Economic Development Revitalization Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (49 - 51) |
June 15, 2011 | NY | S 5596 | Revising The Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Mobility Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 22) |
May 31, 2011 | IL | SB 1652 | Smart Grid Technology | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 24) |
May 25, 2011 | TX | S Amdt 3 | Prohibits Texting While Driving | Amendment Adopted - Senate (19 - 12) |
May 20, 2011 | IL | HB 1091 | Public-Private Transportation Partnership | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 12) |
May 17, 2011 | NE | LB 421 | Park Entry Permit Fees | Veto Override Passed - Senate (42 - 5) |
May 6, 2011 | UT | SB 229 | Transportation Funding Revisions | Veto Override Passed - Senate (21 - 3) |
May 3, 2011 | NC | HB 129 | Regulates Competition Between Local Government and Private Business | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 10) |
April 25, 2011 | CA | SB 28 | Penalties for Using Mobile Device When Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
April 20, 2011 | WA | SB 5622 | Recreation Access on State Lands | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
April 19, 2011 | AZ | SB 1402 | Special License Plates | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
April 9, 2011 | WA | HB 1382 | Express Toll Lanes in the Eastside Corridor | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13) |
March 29, 2011 | WA | SB 5251 | Electric Vehicle Registration Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
March 28, 2011 | ND | HB 1195 | Bans Texting While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
March 28, 2011 | ND | HB 1190 | Prohibits Distracted Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 6) |
March 27, 2011 | MS | SB 3100 | Issuance of State Bonds for Improvements in Higher Learning Institutions | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 10) |
March 24, 2011 | AR | HB 1902 | Highway Financing Act 0f 2011 | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
March 16, 2011 | WA | SB 5407 | Prohibits Drivers Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Motion Rejected - Senate (23 - 25) |
March 15, 2011 | AZ | SB 1538 | Cell Phone Usage While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
March 10, 2011 | GA | SB 162 | DUIs a Felony for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18) |
March 10, 2011 | GA | SB 162 | DUIs a Felony for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Not Tabled - Senate (20 - 34) |
March 9, 2011 | NM | HB 78 | Driver License and ID Card Restrictions for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 16) |
March 8, 2011 | AZ | SB 1402 | Special License Plates | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
March 3, 2011 | UT | HB 155 | Cycling Law Amendments | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 11) |
Feb. 28, 2011 | WY | HB 29 | Mandatory Testing for Suspected DUI Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
Feb. 21, 2011 | VA | SB 1446 | Transportation Budget | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (1 - 38) |
Feb. 17, 2011 | VA | HB 2527 | Virginia Transportation Infrastructure Fund and Bank | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 7) |
Feb. 17, 2011 | NJ | S2636 | Reduction of Toll Road Prices | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
Feb. 16, 2011 | AR | HB 1049 | Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 9) |
Feb. 15, 2011 | National | S Amdt 21 | Reducing Federal Aviation Administration Appropriations | Amendment Tabled - Senate (51 - 47) |
Feb. 15, 2011 | National | S Amdt 14 | Prohibiting Transportation Security Administration Employees from Collective Bargaining | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51) |
Feb. 10, 2011 | UT | SB 124 | Leaving a Child Unattended in a Motor Vehicle | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
Feb. 10, 2011 | NM | SB 124 | Safeguarding Bicyclists | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 17) |
Feb. 8, 2011 | VA | SB 1351 | Wireless Telecommunication Devices | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
Feb. 2, 2011 | AR | SB 154 | Cell Phones in School Zones | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
Jan. 28, 2011 | MT | SB 104 | Limitations on Electricity Pricing | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |
Jan. 25, 2011 | IN | SB 47 | Gambling Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 15) |
Jan. 24, 2011 | WY | SF 51 | Seat Belt Law Violations | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
Jan. 10, 2011 | NJ | S 2381 | Electric Generation Facilities Pilot Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 6) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
11/17 | HR 2112 | Appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (70 - 30) |
11/03 | S 1786 | Long-Term Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011 | Motion Rejected - Senate (47 - 53) |
11/03 | S 1769 | Transportation Infrastructure Appropriations and Tax on Income Over $1 Million | Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 49) |
10/26 | SB 965 | Authorizing Speed Cameras in Certain Cities | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 24) |
10/25 | SB 595 | Authorizes the Use of Red Light Cameras | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 14) |
10/11 | S 1660 | American Jobs Act of 2011 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 49) |
9/07 | AB 1424 | Suspending the Licenses of Delinquent Taxpayers | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
8/30 | AB 353 | DUI Inspection Checkpoints and Unlicensed Drivers | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
6/27 | SB 29 | Restricts Certain Types of Touching During Searches by Government Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
6/24 | A 8496 | Increases The Number Of Taxicabs Serving New York | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 21) |
6/23 | HB 95 | Motorcycle Helmet Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |
6/21 | S 782 | Economic Development Revitalization Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (49 - 51) |
6/15 | S 5596 | Revising The Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Mobility Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 22) |
5/31 | SB 1652 | Smart Grid Technology | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 24) |
5/25 | S Amdt 3 | Prohibits Texting While Driving | Amendment Adopted - Senate (19 - 12) |
5/20 | HB 1091 | Public-Private Transportation Partnership | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 12) |
5/17 | LB 421 | Park Entry Permit Fees | Veto Override Passed - Senate (42 - 5) |
5/06 | SB 229 | Transportation Funding Revisions | Veto Override Passed - Senate (21 - 3) |
5/03 | HB 129 | Regulates Competition Between Local Government and Private Business | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 10) |
4/25 | SB 28 | Penalties for Using Mobile Device When Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
4/20 | SB 5622 | Recreation Access on State Lands | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
4/19 | SB 1402 | Special License Plates | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
4/09 | HB 1382 | Express Toll Lanes in the Eastside Corridor | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13) |
3/29 | SB 5251 | Electric Vehicle Registration Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
3/28 | HB 1195 | Bans Texting While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
3/28 | HB 1190 | Prohibits Distracted Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 6) |
3/27 | SB 3100 | Issuance of State Bonds for Improvements in Higher Learning Institutions | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 10) |
3/24 | HB 1902 | Highway Financing Act 0f 2011 | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
3/16 | SB 5407 | Prohibits Drivers Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Motion Rejected - Senate (23 - 25) |
3/15 | SB 1538 | Cell Phone Usage While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
3/10 | SB 162 | DUIs a Felony for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18) |
3/10 | SB 162 | DUIs a Felony for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Not Tabled - Senate (20 - 34) |
3/09 | HB 78 | Driver License and ID Card Restrictions for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 16) |
3/08 | SB 1402 | Special License Plates | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
3/03 | HB 155 | Cycling Law Amendments | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 11) |
2/28 | HB 29 | Mandatory Testing for Suspected DUI Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
2/21 | SB 1446 | Transportation Budget | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (1 - 38) |
2/17 | HB 2527 | Virginia Transportation Infrastructure Fund and Bank | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 7) |
2/17 | S2636 | Reduction of Toll Road Prices | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
2/16 | HB 1049 | Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 9) |
2/15 | S Amdt 21 | Reducing Federal Aviation Administration Appropriations | Amendment Tabled - Senate (51 - 47) |
2/15 | S Amdt 14 | Prohibiting Transportation Security Administration Employees from Collective Bargaining | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51) |
2/10 | SB 124 | Leaving a Child Unattended in a Motor Vehicle | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
2/10 | SB 124 | Safeguarding Bicyclists | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 17) |
2/08 | SB 1351 | Wireless Telecommunication Devices | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
2/02 | SB 154 | Cell Phones in School Zones | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
1/28 | SB 104 | Limitations on Electricity Pricing | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |
1/25 | SB 47 | Gambling Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 15) |
1/24 | SF 51 | Seat Belt Law Violations | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
1/10 | S 2381 | Electric Generation Facilities Pilot Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 6) |